Sky Patrol in 1991 International Catalog

The 1991 international catalog is a great source of the kind of diorama setups that the US pack-in catalogs had moved away from. There’s something compelling about these toys in a simulated environment. There’s an artistry that’s missing from straight studio shots against plain backgrounds. For me, the dio catalogs evoke memories of Toho kaiju films, with their painstakingly detailed

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GI Joe in 1988 Eaton’s Catalog

I don’t even remember where or when I found this scan of an Eaton’s catalog GI Joe page (apologies if anyone knows where it originated) but I’m in love with the basic but dramatic lighting effects. Often these dio shots feature realistic skies to match the terrain, but this setup goes for a more evocative tone. There’s also some craziness

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Adventure Team in 1971 Product Catalog

I enjoy toy catalogs. Whether Christmas fare, local circular ads or highly specific retailer and Toy Fair presentations, it all hits me in the right place. The Hasbro internal catalogs have always featured some of the best layout of product as well as (inadvertently) spotlighting interesting pre-production samples of well-known sets. For the Adventure Team’s second year, the catalog highlights

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